


Bet On It

by LilRadRidingHood



Category: Elena of Avalor (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Post-Finale, it's mostly gabteo, with background elenaomi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26130037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilRadRidingHood/pseuds/LilRadRidingHood
Summary: Gabe and Mateo bet on who Elena will choose for her first dance as queen.
Relationships: Elena Castillo Flores/Naomi Turner, Mateo de Alva/Gabriel "Gabe" Núñez
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	Bet On It

**Author's Note:**

> Most of this takes place shortly after the series finale, so beware spoilers if you haven't seen it yet.

With Doña Paloma's briefing of the coronation procedures over, Gabe and Mateo walk out of the meeting room, leaving the older members of the Grand Council behind to chat about less formal matters.

"So," Mateo says as they make their way down the hall, "who do you think Elena will choose for her first dance?"

Gabe smirks and puffs up his chest. "Who else? Her one and only Captain of the Guard, of course."

"What? No way! I'm her best friend too! She could totally choose me!"

"Heh. Wanna bet? Loser has to do something for the winner—one request, anything they want." 

The wizard considers for a moment. "It can be anything?"

"Don't worry. I'll only ask you to do something mildly embarrassing."

"That's assuming you win."

"So we have a deal?" Gabe stops walking and holds his arm out for a handshake.

Mateo hesitates, but the smug look on the royal guard's face only strengthens his resolve, and he firmly slaps his hand against Gabe's. "You're on."

——

As it turns out, Elena doesn't choose either of them. But when she asks her abuelo to honor her with the first dance, they quickly get over their initial disappointment to enjoy the song the old man wrote for the occasion. Before long, they've forgotten about their little bet entirely.

That is, until Elena walks up to the two boys and reaches out to both of them. Gabe and Mateo exchange puzzled looks before they laugh and each take one of Elena's hands. The three of them have fun dancing together until Elena's new chancellor catches her eye.

"Naomi! Come join us," she says.

As the blond girl approaches, Gabe lets go of Elena's hand and bows. "It's been an honor, Your Majesty. But maybe Mateo and I should move on to other dance partners." He lifts his head to wink at Mateo, much to the Master Wizard's confusion.

"Oh. Okay," Elena says. Without a second thought, she leaves the boys behind to dance with Naomi. Gabe watches them with a knowing smile, but Mateo still doesn't understand what's going on.

"So… why can't we dance with Elena?" he asks.

"Sshh." Gabe throws an arm around Mateo's shoulders and turns them around, leaning in conspiratorially. "I think there's something going on between those two."

"Elena and Naomi?" Sure enough, he glances back at the two girls to find them staring into each other's eyes with contentment.

"Honestly, for a second there I thought Elena was gonna choose Naomi for the first dance." Gabe grins. "I got Naomi to dance with me earlier so I could ask her about it. You should've seen her blush."

"Wait." Despite Mateo's bewilderment, an excited smile stretches across his face. "So are they really…?"

"Naomi denies everything, but there's definitely something there. I mean, just look at them."

They both peer back over their adjacent shoulders at the newly crowned queen and her chancellor, still looking like a perfectly happy couple. When the two boys turn to face forward again, their noses bump together, and they freeze, suddenly realizing how close they are. Mateo expects Gabe to back away immediately, but the general just smiles. 

"So much for our bet," he says, his face still ever so close to Mateo's.

"Y-Yeah…" Mateo can feel the heat rising to his cheeks, and before he can stop himself, his eyes drift down to Gabe's lips, which immediately quirk up into a smirk. 

_He noticed_.

Mateo snaps his eyes back up in horror. "I-I didn't- I wasn't looking- I-"

Then Gabe laughs, and Mateo stops his stammering, instead staring at his close friend in anticipation.

"Sure you weren't," Gabe says. He walks off to the side and glances back with a sly smile that practically beckons Mateo to follow.

And the wizard does, unquestioningly.

Gabe ends up leading him out to the gazebo on one of the castle balconies. Mateo recognizes it as the place where he once stood with Elena, on the night she appointed him Royal Wizard of Avalor. That was also the night Gabe started to see him as a respectable equal. The then-lieutenant called Mateo a hero for stopping Fiero, and together they saved everyone who had been turned to stone.

It's weird to think about how long ago it was—nearly four years in the past now—but Mateo's just glad his friendship with Gabe has lasted all this time.

Even if he sometimes wishes their relationship could be something more.

"So," the guard says, "since our bet ended in a draw, how about we _both_ do something the other asks us to do?"

"Or we could, you know, save ourselves the embarrassment, since technically neither of us really won."

Gabe chuckles. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I changed my mind. All you have to do is answer a question."

Mateo looks at him skeptically. "An _embarrassing_ question?"

"Well… okay, maybe it is a little embarrassing. But I promise I won't tell anyone! You have my word." He crosses his arm over his chest in a display of honesty, and the Master Wizard can't help but believe him.

"Okay," Mateo says. "What's your question?"

"Do you like Elena?"

Whatever it was the wizard was expecting, it _definitely_ wasn't that.

"What?" He backs away from Gabe, eyes wide. "You mean… as a person? Or a friend?"

"You know what I mean," Gabe says. And Mateo does. But why would _Gabe_ wanna know _that_? Does he… No. It can't be.

But then why is he staring at Mateo so intensely?

"Elena's my friend," the wizard says, looking down. "A really important friend, sure, but still just a friend. I wouldn't want it any other way." When he sheepishly looks up again, he finds a satisfied smile on the general's face.

Then Gabe steps forward and puts his hand on Mateo's shoulder. "All right," he says. "Now it's your turn. I'll do whatever you want. Just, uh, go easy on me, will you?" He winks as he lets his hand fall, and Mateo can feel his heart flutter.

"R-Right. I'll, um, yes." He clears his throat. "I mean, I have a question too."

"Oh yeah?"

The young wizard takes a deep breath before finding his voice again. "Why… why would you care if I like Elena?"

Gabe blinks at him. "Oh." He turns and steps aside, rubbing the back of his neck. All that swagger from earlier is gone. "I guess I should just come out and say it, huh?"

Mateo raises his eyebrows quizzically.

"I… I like you," Gabe says carefully. He turns back toward Mateo, searching for something in his reaction—some kind of sign. But the wizard just stares, dumbfounded.

"I _really_ like you," Gabe continues. He steps closer and takes Mateo's hands. "Not just as a person, or a friend, but as someone… _special_." He leans forward, glancing down at Mateo's lips. "So… can I kiss you?"

Mateo's breath hitches. There's not a single coherent thought that can escape the jumbled mess of his mind and make it out through his mouth. But luckily, all he has to say is one word—one word, and the moment he's been waiting for will finally be real.

So with a warm smile, he gazes up at his beloved friend and says it.

_Yes._


End file.
